Hand-held surgical instruments

ABSTRACT

A hand-held electromechanical surgical instrument includes a handle housing, a shaft portion extending distally from the handle housing, a firing shaft configured to effect a stapling function of an end effector, and a manual lever coupled to the firing shaft for manually retracting the firing shaft and, in turn, opening the end effector.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/004,009, filed Apr. 2, 2020, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The disclosure relates to surgical instruments. More specifically, the disclosure relates to hand-held electromechanical surgical instruments that articulate, rotate, and actuate a variety of other functions of surgical attachments, such as, for example, end effectors configured to staple tissue.

2. Background of Related Art

Electromechanical surgical instruments include a reusable handle assembly and disposable loading units and/or single use loading units, such as, for example, surgical end effectors. The end effectors are selectively connected to the handle assembly prior to use and then disconnected from the handle assembly following use in order to be disposed of or in some instances sterilized for re-use. Upon actuating a trigger of the handle assembly, jaw members of the end effector move between opened and closed states by translation of an I-beam through the end effector. In some surgical instruments, the I-beam is also responsible for cutting through tissue and effecting a stapling function of the end effector.

SUMMARY

In one aspect of the disclosure, a hand-held surgical instrument is provided and includes a handle housing, a motor disposed within the handle housing, a shaft portion extending distally relative to the handle housing, a firing shaft received within the shaft portion, and a lever. The firing shaft is operably coupled to the motor such that an activation of the motor translates the firing shaft within the shaft portion to fire staples from an end effector. The lever is mechanically coupled to the firing shaft via the shaft portion, such that the firing shaft is configured to retract in response to a manual rotation of the lever.

In aspects, the lever may be operably coupled to the shaft portion and configured to rotate the shaft portion relative to the firing shaft.

In aspects, the hand-held surgical instrument may further include a screw operably coupled to the motor and a nut non-rotationally supported in the shaft portion and threadedly coupled to the screw. The firing shaft may have a proximal end portion attached to the nut. The nut may be configured to translate the firing shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion in response to a rotation of the screw.

In aspects, the lever may be operably coupled to the shaft portion, such that a rotation of the lever rotates the shaft portion, which in turn rotates the nut about the screw to retract the firing shaft relative to the shaft portion.

In aspects, the lever may have a distal end portion having a gear, and the shaft portion may have a proximal end portion having a gear in meshing engagement with the gear of the lever.

In aspects, the lever may be rotationally supported in the handle housing and may have a proximal end portion in the form of a crank.

In aspects, the hand-held surgical instrument may further include an I-beam having a proximal end portion engaged with a distal end portion of the firing shaft, and a distal end portion configured to fire the staples from the end effector. The I-beam may retract in response to the retraction of the firing shaft to open jaw members of the end effector.

In aspects, the lever may be received in the handle housing.

In aspects, the hand-held surgical instrument may further include a cap detachably coupled to a proximal end portion of the handle housing. The lever may have a proximal end portion received in the cap.

In aspects, the cap may restrict rotational motion of the lever within the handle housing.

In aspects, the lever may have a proximal end portion in the form of a crank. The proximal end portion of the lever may be keyed to the cap.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, a hand-held surgical instrument is provided and includes a handle housing, an outer tube extending distally relative to the handle housing and rotationally supported by the handle housing, a screw, a nut, a firing shaft, and a manual lever. The nut is non-rotationally supported in the shaft portion and operably coupled to the screw. The firing shaft has a proximal end portion attached to the nut. The nut is configured to translate the firing shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer tube in response to a rotation of the screw. The manual lever is disposed in the handle housing and operably coupled to the outer tube. The outer tube and the nut are configured to rotate together about the longitudinal axis in response to a manual actuation of the lever to retract the firing shaft.

In aspects, the outer tube may have a non-circular shape and the nut may have a matching non-circular shape.

In aspects, the outer tube may have a D-shaped configuration and the nut may have a matching D-shaped configuration.

In aspects, the lever may have a distal end portion having a gear, and the outer tube may have a proximal end portion having a gear in meshing engagement with the gear of the lever.

In aspects, the hand-held surgical instrument may further include a cap coupled to a proximal end portion of the handle housing. The lever may have a proximal end portion covered by the cap.

In aspects, the cap may be engaged with the proximal end portion of the lever to restrict rotational motion of the lever.

In aspects, the cap may be configured to move relative to the proximal end portion of the handle housing to expose the proximal end portion of the lever and disengage the proximal end portion of the lever.

In aspects, the lever may include an elongated bar extending through the handle housing, a gear fixed to a distal end portion of the elongated bar and operably coupled to the outer tube, and a crank fixed to a proximal end portion of the elongated bar and protruding from the handle housing.

In aspects, the hand-held surgical instrument may further include a motor disposed in the handle housing and drivingly coupled to the screw. The motor may be configured to rotate the screw relative to the nut and the outer tube to drive a translation of the nut and the firing shaft relative to the outer tube.

As used herein, the terms parallel and perpendicular are understood to include relative configurations that are substantially parallel and substantially perpendicular up to about + or −10 degrees from true parallel and true perpendicular.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of the disclosure are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a hand-held surgical instrument including a handle assembly, a shaft portion coupled to the handle assembly, and a surgical end effector coupled to the shaft portion;

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view, with parts of a handle housing of the handle assembly shown in phantom, illustrating a manual lever and a drive motor of the handle assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section, taken alone line 3-3 in FIG. 2, illustrating various components of a drive assembly of the surgical instrument;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section, taken alone line 4-4 in FIG. 3, illustrating a cap of the handle assembly locked to the lever;

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view illustrating the cap disengaged from the lever and the lever in an actuated state;

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view illustrating a firing shaft and an I-beam assembly of the surgical instrument of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view, with the I-beam assembly shown in phantom, illustrating the end effector attached to the shaft portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the presently disclosed surgical instruments are described in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. As used herein the term “distal” refers to that portion of the surgical instrument, or component thereof, farther from the user, while the term “proximal” refers to that portion of the surgical instrument, or component thereof, closer to the user.

With reference to FIG. 1, a surgical instrument, in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, is generally designated as 10, and is in the form of a powered hand-held electromechanical surgical instrument configured for selective coupling thereto of a plurality of different surgical end effectors, for example, the surgical stapling end effector 20 (also shown in FIG. 7). The end effector 20 is configured for actuation and manipulation by the powered hand-held electromechanical surgical instrument 10.

The hand-held electromechanical surgical instrument 10 includes a handle assembly 12 and a shaft portion 14, such as, for example, an outer tube, extending distally from the handle assembly 12. The shaft portion 14 is configured for selective connection with a surgical attachment, such as, for example, the end effector 20. The handle assembly 12 has a fire switch 16 configured to actuate the various functions of the end effector 20. In addition, the handle assembly 12 has a safety switch 18 for preventing an inadvertent actuation of the fire switch 16. A knob housing 22 is rotationally coupled to the handle assembly 12 and configured to be manually rotated about a longitudinal axis “X” defined by the shaft portion 14 to rotate the end effector 20. An articulation lever 24 is rotationally coupled to the knob housing 22 and is configured to articulate the end effector 20 (e.g., move the end effector 200 along a horizontal plane between a position coaxial with the shaft portion 14 and multiple positions out of alignment with the shaft portion 14). The angular orientation of a longitudinal axis of the articulation lever 25 relative to the longitudinal axis “X” corresponds to an angular orientation of a longitudinal axis of the end effector 20 relative to the longitudinal axis “X.” As such, the end effector 20 may articulate in the same direction and to the same angular extent as the articulation lever 24.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle assembly 12 includes a handle housing 26 consisting of a barrel portion 28 substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis “X,” and a handle portion 30 extending perpendicularly downward from the barrel portion 28. The handle assembly 12 further includes a drive motor 40 disposed within the barrel portion 28 and being powered by a battery (not shown) of the surgical instrument 10 or an external power source. The drive motor 40 may be an electric motor having a cylindrical configuration and may be oriented lengthwise within the barrel portion 28. The fire switch 16 may be a finger switch pivotably coupled to the handle portion 30 and configured to activate the motor 40 to ultimately actuate an open/close and staple firing function of the end effector 20.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the shaft portion 14 may extend coaxially with the drive motor 40 and has a proximal end portion 14 a received in the barrel portion 28 and a distal end portion 14 b configured to support the end effector 20. The proximal end portion 14 a is rotationally supported by the handle housing 26 so that the shaft portion 14 is rotatable about the longitudinal axis “X” and relative to the handle housing 26. The proximal end portion 14 a of the shaft portion 14 has a gear 42 fixed thereto, such as, for example, a spur gear. The shaft portion 14 has an internal surface 44 (FIG. 3) assuming a substantially non-circular transverse cross-sectional shape, such as, for example, a D-shaped configuration. In aspects, the internal surface 44 of the shaft portion 14 may assume various transverse cross-sectional shapes, such as, for example, triangular, square, undulating, or the like. The internal surface 44 of the shaft portion 14 defines a channel 46 that extends along the length of the shaft portion 14 and which houses various components of a drive assembly 50.

The drive assembly 50 of the surgical instrument 10 is operably coupled to the motor 40 for carrying out an open/close and stapling function of the end effector 20 (FIG. 1). The drive assembly 50 includes a nut 58, a screw 60, and a firing shaft 62. The screw 60 is drivingly coupled to the motor 40 such that an actuation of the motor 40 results in a rotation of the screw 60. The nut 58 is slidably received in the shaft portion 14 and threadedly coupled to the screw 60. The nut 58 has a non-circular (e.g. D-shaped) transverse cross-sectional shape matching the non-circular transverse cross-sectional shape of the shaft portion 14, such that the nut 58 is inhibited from rotating relative to the shaft portion 14.

The firing shaft 62 defines a conduit 66 through a proximal end portion 62 a thereof. The screw 60 extends through the conduit 66. The proximal end portion 62 a of the firing shaft 62 is axially fixed to the nut 58 and rotationally coupled to the nut 58. In this way, the firing shaft 62 translates with the nut 58 as the nut 58 moves axially within the shaft portion 14 while allowing the nut 58 to rotate relative to the firing shaft 62. The firing shaft 62 has a distal end portion 62 b configured to operably couple to an I-beam assembly 80 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, the handle assembly 12 further includes a manual lever 70 received in the barrel portion 28 of the handle housing 26 and a cap 90 detachably coupled to a proximal end portion 29 of the barrel portion 28 of the handle housing 26 for selectively enclosing the manual lever 70 in the handle housing 26. The manual lever 70 is operably coupled to the drive assembly 50 to provide a manual means of retracting the I-beam assembly 80 (FIGS. 6 and 7) in an emergency situation, such as during an electrical or mechanical failure.

The manual lever 70 has an elongated bar 72 and a crank 74 monolithically formed with or otherwise coupled to a proximal end 72 a of the elongated bar 72. The elongated bar 72 extends alongside the motor 40 and is rotationally supported by the handle housing 26. The elongated bar 72 has a distal end 72 b having a gear 76, such as, for example, a spur gear, fixed thereto. The gear 76 of the manual lever 70 is in meshing engagement with gear 42 of the shaft portion 14 and configured to rotate the shaft portion 14 in response to a manual rotation of the manual lever 70. It is contemplated that the manual lever 70 may be operably coupled to the shaft portion 14 via other suitable mechanical linkages, such as a threaded engagement, a frictional engagement, a belt and pulley, or the like.

The crank 74 of the manual lever 70 protrudes proximally from the barrel portion 28 and includes a first bar 74 a extending perpendicularly from the proximal end 72 a of the elongated bar 72, and a second bar 74 b extending proximally from an end of the first bar 74 a. The crank 74 is configured to be grasped between two fingers of a clinician to facilitate manual rotation of the manual lever 70 about a longitudinal axis of the elongated bar 72 of the manual lever 70.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cap 90 of the handle assembly 12 selectively covers the crank 74 of the manual lever 70 to inhibit an inadvertent actuation of the manual lever 70. The cap 90 includes a ring-shaped attachment surface 92 having a pair of opposed tabs 94 protruding radially outward from the attachment surface 92. The proximal end portion 29 of the barrel portion 28 defines an opening 31 dimensioned for receipt of the attachment surface 92 of the cap 90. The proximal end portion 29 of the barrel portion 28 has an annular inner surface 33 that defines a pair of opposed cutouts 35 therein configured to matingly engage the tabs 94 of the cap 90. The cutouts 35 are configured to lock the cover 90 to the handle housing 26 in a bayonet-type connection. In aspects, the cap 90 may be coupled to the barrel portion 28 of the handle housing 26 by fastening engagements other than a bayonet-type connection, such as, for example, a hinged connection, a friction-fit connection, a latched connection, or the like.

The cap 90 has a fixture or rigid plate 96 disposed therein that defines a slot 98 configured to capture therein the first bar 74 a of the crank 74 of the manual lever 74. The attachment surface 92 defines a slot 102 that is radially aligned with the slot 98 of the fixture 96 and which is also configured to capture therein the first bar 74 a of the crank 74 of the manual lever 70. As such, when the cap 90 is secured to the handle housing 26, the cap 90 resists rotation of the manual lever 70 within the handle housing 26. Alternatively, when the cap 90 is detached from the handle housing 26, the manual lever 70 is both exposed to the environment and free to rotate relative to the handle housing 26.

In operation, to perform a stapling function of the surgical instrument 10, with tissue disposed between jaw members 20 a, 20 b of the end effector 20, the fire switch 16 may be actuated. Actuation of the fire switch 16 activates the motor 40 to drive a rotation of the screw 60 (FIG. 3) of the drive assembly 50 relative to the shaft portion 14. Since the nut 58 is inhibited from rotating relative to the shaft portion 14, the nut 58 translates distally along the screw 60 in response to the rotation of the screw 60. The firing shaft 62 distally translates with the nut 58 and the I-beam assembly 80 (FIGS. 6 and 7) translates distally with the firing shaft 62. As the I-beam assembly 80 translates, an I-beam 82 disposed at a distal end of the I-beam assembly 80 translates through the jaw members 20 a, 20 b of the end effector 20 to concurrently close the jaw members 20 a, 20 b about the tissue, cut through the tissue, and eject staples into the tissue in a similar manner to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,011,555, the entire contents of which being incorporated by reference herein.

In some circumstances, powered actuation of the surgical instrument 10 may be inhibited or otherwise problematic. If a mechanical or electrical problem occurs while tissue is clamped between the jaw members 20 a, 20 b, the manual lever 70 of the surgical instrument 20 of this disclosure may be utilized to enable a clinician to manually open the jaw members 20 a, 20 b to release the tissue. In particular, the cap 90 is detached or otherwise moved relative to the barrel portion 28 of the handle housing 26 to expose the manual lever 70 and simultaneously unlock the manual lever 70, as shown in FIG. 5. With the crank 74 of the manual lever 70 exposed, and therefore accessible to a clinician's hand, the clinician may grasp the crank 74 and rotate the manual lever 70 relative to the handle housing 26 in the direction indicated by arrow “A” in FIG. 5.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rotation of the manual lever 70 drives a rotation of the shaft portion 14 about the longitudinal axis “X” via the meshing engagement between the gear 76 of the manual lever 70 and the gear 42 of the shaft portion 14. The rotation of the shaft portion 14 drives a rotation of the nut 58 about the screw 60 due to the nut 58 being keyed to the inner surface 44 of the shaft portion 14. A backdrive resistance on the screw 60 from the motor 40 allows the nut 58 to rotate relative to the screw 60, whereby the nut 58 translates proximally relative to the screw 60 and the shaft portion 14. The firing shaft 62 translates proximally with the nut 58, and the I-beam assembly 80 (FIGS. 6 and 7) translates proximally with the firing shaft 62. As the I-beam assembly 80 translates, the I-beam 82 of the I-beam assembly 80 translates proximally through the jaw members 20 a, 20 b of the end effector 20 to open the jaw members 20 a, 20 b and release the tissue.

Any of the components described herein may be fabricated from either metals, plastics, resins, composites or the like taking into consideration strength, durability, wearability, weight, resistance to corrosion, ease of manufacturing, cost of manufacturing, and the like.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the aspects of the presently disclosed surgical instruments including switch assemblies. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of aspects. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hand-held surgical instrument, comprising: a handle housing; a motor disposed within the handle housing; a shaft portion extending distally relative to the handle housing; a firing shaft received within the shaft portion and operably coupled to the motor such that an activation of the motor translates the firing shaft within the shaft portion to fire staples from an end effector; a lever mechanically coupled to the firing shaft via the shaft portion, wherein the firing shaft is configured to retract in response to a manual rotation of the lever; a screw operably coupled to the motor; and a nut non-rotationally supported in the shaft portion and threadedly coupled to the screw, the firing shaft having a proximal end portion attached to the nut, wherein the nut is configured to translate the firing shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion in response to a rotation of the screw.
 2. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the lever is operably coupled to the shaft portion, such that a rotation of the lever rotates the shaft portion, which in turn rotates the nut about the screw to retract the firing shaft relative to the shaft portion.
 3. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 2, wherein the lever has a distal end portion having a gear, and the shaft portion has a proximal end portion having a gear in meshing engagement with the gear of the lever.
 4. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the lever is rotationally supported in the handle housing and has a proximal end portion in the form of a crank.
 5. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 2, further comprising an I-beam having a proximal end portion engaged with a distal end portion of the firing shaft, and a distal end portion configured to fire the staples from the end effector, wherein the I-beam retracts in response to the retraction of the firing shaft to open jaw members of the end effector.
 6. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the lever is received in the handle housing.
 7. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 6, further comprising a cap detachably coupled to a proximal end portion of the handle housing, wherein the lever has a proximal end portion received in the cap.
 8. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 7, wherein the cap restricts rotational motion of the lever within the handle housing.
 9. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 8, wherein the lever has a proximal end portion in the form of a crank, the proximal end portion of the lever being keyed to the cap.
 10. A hand-held surgical instrument, comprising: a handle housing; an outer tube extending distally relative to the handle housing and rotationally supported by the handle housing; a screw; a nut non-rotationally supported in the shaft portion and operably coupled to the screw; and a firing shaft having a proximal end portion attached to the nut, the nut being configured to translate the firing shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by the outer tube in response to a rotation of the screw; and a manual lever disposed in the handle housing and operably coupled to the outer tube, wherein the outer tube and the nut are configured to rotate together about the longitudinal axis in response to a manual actuation of the lever to retract the firing shaft.
 11. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the outer tube has a non-circular shape and the nut has a matching non-circular shape.
 12. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the outer tube has a D-shaped configuration and the nut has a matching D-shaped configuration.
 13. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the lever has a distal end portion having a gear, and the outer tube has a proximal end portion having a gear in meshing engagement with the gear of the lever.
 14. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 10, further comprising a cap coupled to a proximal end portion of the handle housing, wherein the lever has a proximal end portion covered by the cap.
 15. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 14, wherein the cap is engaged with the proximal end portion of the lever to restrict rotational motion of the lever.
 16. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the cap is configured to move relative to the proximal end portion of the handle housing to expose the proximal end portion of the lever and disengage the proximal end portion of the lever.
 17. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 10, wherein the lever includes: an elongated bar extending through the handle housing; a gear fixed to a distal end portion of the elongated bar and operably coupled to the outer tube; and a crank fixed to a proximal end portion of the elongated bar and protruding from the handle housing.
 18. The hand-held surgical instrument according to claim 10, further comprising a motor disposed in the handle housing and drivingly coupled to the screw, wherein the motor is configured to rotate the screw relative to the nut and the outer tube to drive a translation of the nut and the firing shaft relative to the outer tube.
 19. A surgical instrument, comprising: a housing; a shaft portion extending distally relative to the housing; a screw; a nut non-rotationally supported in the shaft portion and operably coupled to the screw; a firing shaft received within the shaft portion and axially fixed relative to the nut such that the nut is configured to translate the firing shaft along a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft portion in response to a rotation of the screw; and a lever mechanically coupled to the shaft portion such that a rotation of the lever rotates the shaft portion about the longitudinal axis, wherein the firing shaft is configured to retract in response to the rotation of the lever.
 20. The surgical instrument according to claim 19, further comprising a cap removably attached to the housing and covering a crank portion of the lever, wherein the cap is engaged to the lever thereby preventing the rotation of the lever until the cap is detached from the housing. 